Thunder and Lightning
by TheGingerHairedCritic
Summary: Anna Baxter is whipped from her simple life in the modern day Lake District into 1890's London. Sherlock Holmes takes and interest in her plight and so starts an adventure that will test the very fabric of time.
1. Chapter 1

**Thunder and Lightning**

**Chapter 1:**

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><p><em>Kendal,1st December, 2011.<em>

A weak winter sun peeked out from the cloud scudded sky onto the landscape below. The streets were still wet with rain the that had fell during the storm the previous night, and the afternoon sun did nothing to remove the puddles from the pavements. It was warm for the time of year. One of the warmest summers in the Lake District, had led to the warmest autumn and the warmest winter. Funny how that happens. The locals were not complaining though, and neither were the hoards of young people exiting the various schools around the town of Kendal. They were having a whale of a time. One solitary figure did not join in with the water splashing and puddle jumping. She did not wait by the side of the road, egging on passing cars to drive through the standing water at full speed. One passing car did stop by her though.

"Are you sure you don't want a lift Anna?" A round and pleasant face poked her head out of the wound down drivers window. "It might rain again soon."

Anna sighed "I'm fine, really Gemma. Thank you for the offer but I'll take the train. I need some time alone to think."

"Well once you have done thinking, call me." Her friend conceded. "It won't do you any good trying to get through this alone you know."

"All right mother hen. I'll phone you when I get home." Anna smiled at the girl in the car and willed her to go away. She got ready to run off, but that wasn't needed as Gemma gave her a reassuring nod and drove away.

Diving into the pocket of her greatcoat, Anna pulled out her student card and purchased a ticket for Staveley, the nearest settlement to the farm where she and her family lived.

The train that she got on was not a big one, nor was it completely packed. But she didn't think that it was worth her while trying to find a seat when the station she needed to get off at was only a few minutes down the line. Instead she allowed an old woman to take one of the last remaining seats and got a grateful "Thank you" for her troubles. Anna smiled but did not start any conversation.

It did not take long for Anna to be consumed by her thoughts and she had to be rudely interrupted from them by the conductor, asking if this was the station she requested to get off at. The young woman nodded, picked up her bag and exited the carriage. As she looked up she saw a rather ominous cloud moving across the sky and wasted no time in heading home.

Her trek involved passing through the high street of Staveley and about a mile long hike over the hills.

"Walking boots are a must in this kind part of the north" Anna thought wryly to herself.

With her grey coat and lithe walk over the rugged terrain, many of the local people said that Anna Baxter was akin to John Peel, the acclaimed huntsman of the Lakes. He was a triumphant figure, a favourite of folk songs and long forgotten stories. But the figure crossing the bleak countryside could not have felt more different. An intense sorrow ripped through her, anger burnt in her very soul and every step was painful. She kicked a stone away, as hard as she could, as though wishing it was _his _head. Her anger abated and Anna carried on on her way.

But something had decided that Anna was not going to have an easy time of getting home. Well that was what the young woman thought as she tripped up over a lump of metal in the small stream that she was trying to cross.

Anna landed with a loud "ooof!" and fell face first in a pile of bracken. She got up angrily, brushed herself down and went to inspect the object that had caused her to take such a wonderful trip.

It was around half the size of a shoe box, rectangular and made of a copper coloured metal, but had not oxidised in the way that copper should have in the conditions on the side of a hill. All that Anna knew was that it was very old. It had been dislodged from the bed of the stream and by the look of the hole left in the mud, it had taken a while for the object to be almost completely buried.

"The storm must have slightly uncovered it." Anna mused to herself.

With gloved fingers she found the lid and removed it. Letting the small sheet of metal drop to the floor she examined its contents. Instead of being hollow as she had first thought, Anna found herself confronted with some sort of control panel. It had various dials and buttons of different shades of copper. All made of the same metal that the outside of the box was constructed of. The only thing not made of metal was a series of ivory dials with black numbers on them.

The numbers at that point were set as so:

**1 . 12 . 2011 .**

For some strange and unbeknown reason, Anna felt the urge to change the numbers on the dials. She did so.

**1 . 12 . 1890.**

"What a weird little thing, eh? What on earth are you?" She pondered out loud.

Quickly losing interest in the dials Anna turned her attention to the other aspects of the device. Mainly the big shiny buttons. Now, it must be said that in a situation such as this, it really isn't a good idea to go messing around with unknown technology. But, human nature doesn't listen to common sense, and Anna couldn't help pushing the largest button on the panel.

Nothing happened for a while, until a low humming started to emit from the device. It got louder and louder until the box suddenly shone bright white, Anna was transfixed and found herself unable to let go of the device. The world around her moved and changed until it finally came to a stop.

Anna let go of the box with her left hand and fell against something cold and hard. She looked at the hand that had broken her fall and what it was resting against. A red brick wall. Startled she leapt up and observed her surroundings. Tall Georgian tenement houses, cobbled streets, gas street lamps, horse drawn carriages and people bustling around on their own merry way. Definitely not the Lake District.

"Oh bugger."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thunder and Lightning**

**Chapter 2:**

"Shit shit shit shit shit!" Anna was panicking now. Not the "Oh dear I've lost my wallet" kind of panic. This was sheer blinding panic that made her forget who she was. One thought surged through her mind.

"What in the HELL has just happened?"

Walking around in the street, bewildered, she failed to notice a hansom cab bolting toward her. It was only the actions of a nearby policeman that saved Anna from being knocked over as he pulled her from the cab's path. Unfortunately, during the incident, Anna had lost her grip on the device that had brought her to where she was. Devoid of its protective lid, the device had sustained extensive damage.

"Are you all right miss?" The constable looked on with worry as Anna scrabbled to pick up the ruined device and shove it into her bag.

"I said are you all right?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine."

"You nearly got killed there y'know!"

"Well I'll be more careful next time." Anna tried to brush him off, but to no avail.

"You had better. We wouldn't be wanting you getting hurt. Are you looking for someone?"

"No. No. But you could help me by telling me where I am?"

"Why certainly, right now you are on Baker Street, in the fine city of London." The bobby seemed to swell with pride. All that Anna could do was let her fear rise even further. She pushed past the constable and ripped a newspaper from the hands of someone leaning against a wall.

"Oi! I was reading that!"

She ignored the raised voice and searched for the top of the front page. It read.

_1st of December, 1890._

"Shit."

"Really that is no way to behave! Constable! I want this man arrested. Now!" Anna looked up into the face of what could be described as an enraged bull.

"I'm not a man, _idiot_, take your bloody paper and leave me alone." At that the woman shoved the newspaper into the man's face and started walking in the opposite direction. Only to be stopped by the policeman that had previously helped her.

"I think it would be best if you came to the station with me madam." The constable took a firm grip of her shoulder and started pushing her through the already gathering crowd.

"Move aside here! Nothing to see!" The throng of people quickly bored of the situation and dispersed.

"Just let me go," Anna pleaded "I did the man no harm. To be honest I would have shoved that paper where the sun doesn't shine if I got half the chance." The last sentence was added rather darkly. She had all but given up and felt so tired she could have collapsed on the floor in an instant.

"Still, I think it would be better if you came with me, quietly."

"What have we got here Clarkie?" Anna looked up as a 40 something man stepped forward from the crowd and into their path. His sharp brown eyes quickly scanned over Anna, taking in her shoes, coat and other outward features. He was scruffy looking, his hair in disarray, unshaven, clothes wrinkled as though he had just slept in them. But he seemed to hold himself in an almost regal way, some might call it arrogance, others would just say that he was quietly confident. Whatever his social status, the policeman, now known to be "Clarkie", had stood almost to attention and said in clipped tones,

"This young woman was causing a nuisance, Mister Holmes, I am in the process of taking her down to the station. She seems a bit dazed and confused, sir."

Anna shot the policeman a dirty look, but focused most of her attention on the man in front of her.

"Help me. Please?" She mouthed, hoping that he was a lip reader.

The stranger suddenly sprung to life, as though he had been drenched with a bucket of cold water.

"Well of course the girl is dazed and confused. This is her first time to the big city! She is a cousin of mine." He pulled her to his side and beamed down at her.

"Third cousin," Anna interjected, throwing him a look that said _"what kind of a cover up is this!". _"Twice removed. Never been here before."

"Yes. Have you had a tiring trip my dear? Cumbria is a long way to travel from." At that she had to try and hide her shock, _how in the hell does this man know where I'm from?_

"What the? ... Yes, I am slightly tired. We should be getting going." She shot a quick smile to the stunned policeman.

"Thank you for your assistance Clarkie, but I can ensure that the lady falls to no harm from now on." And with that parting remark he practically grabbed Anna's arm and pulled her in the opposite direction. Clarkie just turned around and tutted to himself;

"This city is going mad."

The stranger slowed down his pace and stopped in a nearby alley.

"How in God's green earth do you know that I'm from Cumbria?" She looked up and saw ... yes ... that was definitely mirth written upon his features.

"Simple deduction. Your accent when you spoke coupled with the mud of your boots, led me to conclude that you hail from the Cumbrian part of the north. The Lake District to be exact." It seemed that this man could not keep a smug smile from forming on his face.

"The mud on my boots?" Anna enquired.

"Yes. It has a high granite content. Consistent with northern parts of this country, thus, you are Cumbrian" Again there was a smug smile written on his unshaven face.

"Why did you help me? I could just be some random madwoman y'know."

"Ah, but the gentleman in me could not help but run to the plight of a damsel in distress." The amused look grew more evident.

"Well I'm glad you're finding this funny. Anyway, I am no damsel, and you don't look much like a knight in shining armour either."

"True, true. But I am a detective. And I could help you figure out what that device is, the one that you tried to hide in your bag." At this passing comment Anna blanched. The man carried on regardless. "You, young lady, have provided me with a very interesting enigma to solve." He made a move to turn around.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Sherlock Holmes." The man said curtly. He held out his hand as a greeting.

"Anna Baxter." They shook hands.

"Strong handshake." Holmes murmured.

"A feeble handshake means a feeble character." Anna replied. Holmes raised his eyebrow at her. "That was what I was taught anyway."

"Well Miss Baxter. Please step this way. My rooms are only a few hundred yards down this street." He set off at a brisk pace with Anna walking by his side.

The walk to 221B Baker Street was not a long one. But it provided ample time for Holmes to analyse the woman walking next to him.

_5 foot 7 inches. Slightly above average height. Can presume she will grow no further, so, between 17 and 25 years of age. Any older and she would have shown more signs of ageing on her face. Now, light brown hair, cut short, 1 and a half inches above the shoulder. Practical, easily tied back, not a frivolous woman. Theory of this proven by well worn leather gloves and unflattering greatcoat. Rounded shoulders, not brought up to be ladylike, male dominant household. Stance and male like walk proves this. Size 6 ½ feet. Lengthy stride, can easily keep up with me. Ergo, used to walking and an outdoor life. Rosy cheeks and chapped lips also prove this. Boots and trousers splattered with water and mud, yet none of the soil that is there is from any area of London. Nor anywhere in the south of the country. How did she manage to travel the length of the country without picking up any new mud along the way? Also, the stains that are evident are extremely recent, meaning she has only left the area moments ago. Strange. Must enquire further. _

Holmes also noticed a small silver chain bracelet slip from under the sleeves of her coat onto her glove. _Delicate, not something she would buy. Not her taste yet she wears it. A gift. From her mother?_

"That is a nice bracelet you have there my dear." He was not very subtle but Anna did not pick up on this.

"Oh." She looked down to her wrist, and grimaced. _He _had given that to her. She lifted her arm up slightly and let it be concealed by her sleeve once more. "Thank you."

Holmes smiled to himself. _Gift from her lover. No, ex-lover. Yes. He was the one who ended it. _

"Sometimes I think that people are too easy to read." He thought to himself. But there was still the matter of how exactly she got to be on Baker Street, completely bewildered and, most of all, scared. She was calmer now but when she had first appeared, he could almost see the waves of panic rolling from her. "This one really is a mystery. Enough to keep me from being bored."

Soon enough, they were stepping over the threshold of 221B Baker Street. And Holmes's interest in Anna had risen to a pique...

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><p><strong>Just to avoid any confusion. This story is going on the basis that Sherlock Holmes is actually a real man, not a character from a book. I can't be doing with parallel universes and alternate time lines, this is starting to sound more and more like Doctor Who the more I write it.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Thunder and Lightning **

**Chapter 3:**

Whatever Anna had expected to see when she entered Sherlock Holmes's rooms, it wasn't what she saw before her.

It was a mess. Various items of furniture were piled high with all manner of objects. Newspapers littered the room and books were piled against walls almost up to her shoulder. She took a closer look at some of the volumes on a bookshelf. _101 Poisons and their uses, The Art of Crime, Rapiers of the 17__th__ Century. _They all seemed completely random. Anna also noted a peculiar aroma, like burnt rubber. It was an acrid smell that made her nose wrinkle in disgust. She found that the source of the smell was several items from a chemists set. With some sort of clear viscous substance accumulating in a conical flask. "God knows what that man was trying to do." She thought. "He is utterly insane."

"This is very ... nice. Quite bohemian. Actually."

A fire blazed in the fireplace and she quickly shed her coat and gloves. It was so warm that she rolled up the sleeves of her polo neck jumper. If Holmes was surprised by her attire he didn't show it.

"There is no need to be polite Miss Baxter. Your mother's virtues are quite meaningless here. I know that it is not in your character to be polite." His manner was very nonchalant, as though her attempts to be civil were boring.

"For someone who only recently said that I was, quote, _an enigma_. You seem to know everything about me." Anna had lost her patience. "So stop playing games for your own amusement."

"Very well. You could start by telling me who you are. Then we shall move on to that fact that you show absolutely no sign of travelling almost 200 miles. You look as if you were in the Lake District only minutes ago. It is most unusual" He sat back and attempted to light a pipe. Anna took this as a sign to start talking.

"It may take a while to explain my situation to you Mr Holmes, so I'll take a seat, if you don't mind." She was stalling for time. _How the hell am I going to explain what happened? I don't even know all of it myself!_

"By all means Miss Baxter, make yourself comfortable." He gestured to the one seat that had nothing lying on it and she sat down.

"You asked me to tell you who I am. So, my name is Annabelle Baxter, I am 18 years old, was born and live on a small sheep farm about a mile and a half from Staveley. I have three older brothers and am currently studying English Literature for my A-levels." _Here it comes._ "And, as of ten minutes ago, it was the 1st of December 2011. I am from the future." It was at this point that Anna thought that she would be carted of to a mental asylum. But she was wrong.

"Three brothers, I knew that you lived in a male dominant household!" He exclaimed with a look of pleasant triumph on his face. "It was a bit of a long shot I admit."

Anna just stared at him dumbfounded. "I just told you that I came from the future and all you can worry about is proving that you are right!" She was incredulous. "Bloody ridiculous!" She said, rolling her eyes to the heavens.

"Well, I have nothing more to say on the time travelling matter. The theory fits all known data and I must conclude that what you said is true. I have a saying. When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. And it stands true here. Unless it is a very elaborate hoax, which no offence to you seems to be beyond your cerebral workings, then I can believe you."

Anna was a bit peeved off. She could have used a bit of sympathy, instead she was being judged by a man she had known for less than fifteen minutes "I don't know whether to thank you for believing me, or beat you round the head with a poker for calling me stupid." She started to move forward menacingly.

"I would prefer the former option." At the sight of a very angry woman bearing down upon him, Holmes decided to back off a bit.

"Huh. I knew you were going to choose that option. Seems you're not the only predictive genius."

"Well, yes, um. Lets have a look at that device that you so cunningly failed to hide from me." Anna shot him a dirty look but opened her bag and handed him the device all the same.

He practically tore it from Anna's grasp. He turned it over in his hands examining the exterior damage before placing it on a table and prising the top panel off with a screwdriver.

"Interesting." As he peered inside his brow furrowed. Then he took to examining the outside of the device. He scraped away at some of the mud coating the device, his efforts revealed an embossed and ornate M.

"Very interesting, this changes everything Anna. I don't think you will be going back home for some time." He looked at Anna with an expression difficult to read. She couldn't tell whether he felt sorry for her or wanted to she her reaction.

"What do you mean. "This changes everything"? Can't it be repaired?" Anna did not want to accept that she was stuck in the 1800's. She couldn't fathom any way for her to live there and was on the borders of hysterics.

"There are pieces missing that seem to be key to how it works. Also, there is the matter of who made it. The letter "M", on the side here, is the symbol of the most devious and dangerous criminal masterminds in the country. Professor James Moriarty." He paused to allow the information to sink in. "I have been aware of his goings on for a few weeks now, but am no closer to bringing him to justice. Every major crime committed in the last three years has been masterminded by him, yet I am no closer to capturing him."

Anna just stared at him, speechless. She started to speak, to try and fathom reason from this statement. She sat still, and motionless. Holmes studied her reaction closely. He was relieved that she did not seem close to tears or hysterics, he didn't think that he could handle that. But, being the gentleman that he was, he supposed that he would have to take in this poor waif until he could find a way of getting her home.

Holmes was just going to call for Mrs Hudson when he heard footsteps ascending the stairs. By the heavy tread of one of the alternate feet and the additional noise of a cane hitting the floor, he knew that his former fellow tenant would soon be joining them.

"Ah Watson is here!" He thought. "I cannot wait to see his astonishment when he meets my visitor!"

Then, as if on cue, there was a polite rapping on the door and a request to be allowed in. Holmes obliged him and sat back in his chair, waiting for some ready made entertainment.

There was a knock on the door and a tall, smart looking man with a cane stepped though it. He smiled brightly when he saw his old friend up and about.

"Good to see you a gain old cock!" He exclaimed "Mrs Hudson told me that you had been out. Any developments on the Moriarty case?" Dr Watson scanned the room and noticed a rather forlorn character sitting in a chair opposite from Homes. "Who is this?"

"Ah, Dr Watson, this is where it gets interesting." Holmes replied with a wry smile. "This is where it gets very interesting."

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><p><strong>Sorry for the delay. Thank you to all those who review, it is one of the many things that keeps me writing this. If there are any problems with my story or style, please feel free to tell me. But try not to hurt my feelings, I can be a sensitive soul.<strong>


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